This invention relates to coupling means for use in milking systems and more particularly to an improved coupling means which may be removably attached to the manifold of a milking system at any desired location.
Vacuum operated milking machines for use in dairy operations to milk many cows simultaneously are well known in the prior art. Such machines are each connected to a common manifold and the milk drawn from each cow flows through the manifold into a suitable milk receiving tank maintained at sub-atmospheric pressure.
The various dairy codes and regulations with respect to milking systems are quite strict as to the apparatus involved and generally require that the manifold be made of stainless steel tubing. In addition, the codes often require that if the manifold is over a stated maximum length, the individual valve connections thereto must be removable therefrom. Because of these requirements, much trouble has been encountered in providing a suitable satisfactory connection between the milking machines and the manifold.
The manifold being of stainless steel tubing is a difficult material to work with in the field and yet the locations at which the milking machines are to be connected to the manifold will vary for each installation depending on the architecture of the structure in which the system is to be installed as well as many other variable factors. In addition it is often desirable to relocate or add further couplings to the manifold after the system has been installed. Thus, it is not possible to provide couplings to the manifold prior to installation but instead the couplings to the manifold for the milking machines must be provided after the system has been installed.
The most practicable solution has been to form openings through the side wall of the manifold tube after the manifold tube has been installed in the structure with such openings being formed as and where needed or desired. Of course the thinness of the tube wall precludes the use of threaded fittings thereto and thus standard pipe connections cannot be used.
Various clamping devices have been proposed in the prior art for mounting coupling devices to the manifold by pressing the coupling means tightly against openings in the manifold so as to seal the coupling means to the opening. It has been found, however, that if such clamping means are designed to hold the coupling means tightly enough against the manifold so as to form a seal therebetween, they either cannot be easily removed from the manifold when required, or else the coupling device is expensive and complicated to manufacture. It is often desired to provide additional couplings which are not in constant use and it is, of course, necessary that such couplings when they are not in use provide an air tight seal so that no air can enter the system as air will cause contamination and oxidation of the milk.
It is a principal object of this invention to provide a coupling to a manifold which provides optimum performance in use and yet is inexpensive to manufacture and may be quickly and easily applied to and removed from the manifold.